I'm Still Breathing
by spoodle monkey
Summary: Post 'Meet Me Half Way'. Johnny and Ben are together and everything seems to be going well, but when everything seems fine something is bound to screw it up. SLASH JohnnyBen SueReed TonySteve
1. Part One

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own.

A/N- woohoo! and I've started ANOTHER multi chaptered fic. This is the sequel to 'Meet Me Half Way' and is part of the 'With Hands Held High' verse! Part 1/3 and will probably make soooo much more sense if you read 'Meet Me Half Way' first! Johnny/Ben as always with a side order of: Sue/Reed, Tony/Steve, Billy/Teddy and pretty much anyone else I can think of! Oh, and there is some sexual content but nothing too much...I think...Enjoy!

* * *

Logically he knows that the Hulk isn't a bad guy. They've even had Bruce Banner over for dinner a few times. So yeah, he understands that the Hulk isn't a bad guy at heart, not like Doom or any of those other whack jobs.

Doesn't mean he feels very sympathetic when the green monster is tearing his way through Johnny's city.

No one's even sure what's got him so riled up at the moment.

Reed is up in the lab, Sue is clearing out a building that's about to fall over and Johnny's distracting the Hulk so Ben can sneak up on him.

It's not one of their best plans but it seems to be working.

He shoots a fireball at him and then another as he flies backwards. The Hulk is launching debris at him but it's not too hard to avoid so he's doing okay.

Ben grabs the Hulk and everything seems to freeze for a moment.

Then the Hulk has shifted, grabbed Ben and launched them both into the air.

Johnny can only watch, frozen as the pair comes crashing back to earth. He dives in, just in time, scooping up a dumb tourist who had gotten too close and flying him to safety. The man actually stops Johnny and asks for a photo.

He chooses to ignore him and heads back to the battle, expecting to see Ben and the Hulk still going at it. And they are.

Or were.

The green monster of a man lets out an ear splitting roar that has him cringing, right before he hits Ben, harder then Johnny has ever seen him hit him before, and sends the hero flying backwards into a crater in the pavement.

Johnny holds his breath. Ben isn't moving.

He reacts without thinking; something his sister has accused him of one too many times. Before he knows what he's doing he's in front of the Hulk, flame burning brighter as a warning.

"Stay back." He snarls in warning. That's _his_ sort of boyfriend that the Hulk is trying to kill.

"Johnny?" Ben sounds groggy from somewhere behind him.

He chances a glance over his shoulder; Ben is still where he landed, sprawled in the pavement and looking like he won't be moving in the next few minutes. Sue is still in the building a block away, Reed is in the Baxter building and there's no one nearby.

The Hulk starts advancing on them again; Bruce Banner isn't in there at the moment.

"Close your eyes Ben." Johnny tells him firmly.

He doesn't check to make sure that Ben is listening because the Hulk is suddenly right in front of him, reaching for him and Johnny lets his flame _burn._

It rips through him, this exhilarating force and for a moment it's all consuming. He pushes it hotter and hotter, lifting him up into the sky. He can't see anything passed the flames, can barely think of anything passed the flames.

Ben will be okay, it's a mantra in his head as he tries to keep his mind grounded. His flame has never been able to hurt Ben.

His flame explodes from within him in one great, terrible force.

Everything is still for a moment.

He lands on his hands and knees on the broken pavement, vision swimming before him and panting for breath he cannot seem to catch. Everything hurts and he feels a chill creeping over him.

The street is on fire, cars melting and store fronts destroyed. Please let it be worth it, please.

He gulps in the warm air greedily and lurches to his feet. He's so tired, so close to passing out. He needs to get to Ben first. Needs to make sure the threat is gone.

One unsteady foot after another takes him to the crater- all but falling as he tries to reach the rocky figure at the center.

_Ben. _He tries to say but it comes out sounding more like a grunt.

"Kid." The rocky figure shifts, groaning slightly but stands and stumbles over to Johnny.

Stone arms circle him and together they sink to the ground. Black spots swim in front of his vision and he tries his best to blink them away, to focus and stop from passing out.

It looks like it worked though; the streets are silent except for his breathing, loud in his ears, mingled with Ben's.

The fires are burning themselves out, the smoke is clearing and,

An inhuman roar tears through the silence, shaking the very foundation they sit on.

"No." Johnny buries his face in Ben's chest in denial. It's not possible- nothing can stand up to his inferno.

The roar comes again, closer this time and he feels Ben tense against him. Rocky arms become less about keeping him close, holding him up and more about shielding him.

He twists his head enough to see the smoke clearing and a large, angry figure making its way towards them.

Ben's injured, he can hear it in his unsteady breaths, and Johnny is tapped out, about to pass out. They just can't stand up to the Hulk like this.

"Matchstick," Ben whispers in his ear and Johnny doesn't want to hear what he's about to say. "You need to get out of here."

"No." Johnny whispers back furiously. If Ben's not running, then he's not running. He just got the rocky man and he's not about to let him out of his sight.

Ben tries again, tries to get him to move but Johnny only pulls far enough away to stand stubbornly in front of the injured man. He plants his feet, spreads his hands and gives the Hulk his best glare.

The green monster- it's not Bruce in there, Bruce would be in control, would _never_ hurt them like this- keeps coming though. Johnny can understand why- without his flame he's just some small blonde guy to the Hulk, standing between him and the enemy.

"Johnny!" Ben growls from behind him.

He realizes that if they make it out of this, by some miracle, that there will be hell to pay later.

At this moment though, he doesn't care.

The Hulk raises his massive arms above Johnny and Johnny's breath catches in his chest. This is it, he realizes.

"Johnny!" Ben shouts, louder, more desperate.

Sorry Ben, Johnny thinks idly. There are so many things he wants to say to him, but he can't speak, doesn't have the time. The Hulks hands are crashing down towards him and he feels his eyes slip closed.

Nothing happens.

No bone crunching, no mind numbing pain, nothing.

He cautiously opens his eyes in time to see the confused look on the Hulks face as the big guy stumbles and then starts to fall forwards. Right at Johnny.

Something hits him, knocks him out of the way and tumbling across the pavement. Johnny would know Sue's force field anywhere.

The ground shakes as the Hulk hits the ground.

Reed stands down the block, some sort of tranquilizer gun in his hand, Sue's close by. Ben, well Ben is climbing to his feet a little ways away. Johnny can feel the glare from here.

"We'll need to get Bruce back up to the lab." Reed is saying, getting closer.

Johnny looks over and sure enough the Hulk has turned back into the thin, small man again.

Ben is still glaring at him.

Johnny takes a few unsteady steps towards him, then thinks better of it and turns back the other way. His sister is by his side in an instant, wrapping an arm around his waist. He's too tired to even thank her properly, focusing on taking on step in front of the other.

He can hear Ben following behind with Reed's help and tries not to think too hard about how he'd been ready to die for the other man.

DI

He doesn't mean to, but he ends up sleeping until the next afternoon.

Johnny makes it to his room and collapses onto his bed, bone weary and as soon as his head touches the pillow, he's out like a light.

He gets the vague feeling that someone had checked in on him at some point in the night, but it's entirely possible it was a strange dream.

Johnny wakes up the next afternoon to sunlight streaming through the window, warming him. He's still sore, but feeling much better than he had the previous day.

He slides out of bed, throws on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt and makes his way out of his room. Hopefully Ben will have forgiven him by now.

There's no one in the kitchen when he stops by for something to eat, no one in the living room and no one in the games room. He even checks the garage before heading upstairs with some trepidation.

Reed's lab is a buzz with activity. That's never a good sign.

"Johnny! Just in time!" Reed's pops up from behind a large, ominous looking machine face covered by some sort of mask. "Weld these two pieces together!"

Johnny doesn't bother waiting for a please, once Reed is in mad scientist mode things like please and thank you are usually forgotten.

"What's this?" Johnny asks as he welds the two pieces of metal together, silently celebrating the fact that his flame appears to be back and better than ever.

Reed mutters something about cosmic rays and molecules and Johnny can feel his attention slipping as the words grow longer.

He stares blankly at the area where he saw Reed's head last, trying to figure out what his brother in law has just said.

"He means," Johnny does _not_ jump as Sue appears at his side. "That he's making a machine to counteract the cosmic rays that changed us. Again."

Sue is eyeing the machine skeptically, and Johnny can understand why. After so many tries, sometimes it feels like Reed will never find the answer.

Ben lumbers out of the elevator, slides an arm around Johnny's shoulders and watches the machine with something dangerously close to hope on his face.

Johnny feels his stomach lurch. He doesn't want Ben to get his hopes up only to have the machine not work again. He's not sure how much of that type of disappointment Ben can take.

He can't picture Ben as a normal, everyday human anymore though. He's not sure when he decided that the rocky Ben _was_ the normal Ben.

But at least it looks like Ben's not mad at him anymore.

"This is going to take awhile." Reed finally resurfaces, probably just realizing that they're all still there.

"You heard the man!" Johnny grins and leans into Ben, batting his eyelashes in what he has been told is a _very_ seductive way. At least that's what his girlfriends used to try on him. "Looks like we have the rest of the afternoon to ourselves."

Ben gives him a long look, one that Johnny has trouble deciphering, before shrugging and leading them to the elevator and out of the lab.

Sue stays with Reed, probably to make sure he eats something, leaving Johnny and Ben by themselves.

Johnny spends the quick ride down trying to figure out how to get Ben to agree to go see a movie with him.

Except as soon as they get out of the elevator, the easy going nature slides right off of Ben and Johnny can spot the anger boiling below the surface. Apparently Ben hadn't decided to just forgive him.

"I can explain." Johnny starts, hands held up in a way that he hopes means 'peace'.

Ben just growls and stalks towards him, so Johnny backs up only to find he cannot back up any further as he hits the wall.

"You'd better have a damn good explanation Storm."

Johnny flinches at the use of his last name. Ben is _pissed_. He's probably been making himself angrier all this time Johnny has been asleep too.

"If I had have just stepped back, the Hulk would have killed you!" Johnny defends, stubborn that he made the _right_ choice.

"So you decided I had t'a watch him kill _you_?" Instead of yelling Ben's voice drops to a low, harsh tone and somehow it's worse.

Johnny stands straight and glares right back, meeting Ben's unwavering gaze. At least they aren't throwing fists and fire balls this time.

Suddenly they're not glaring anymore and Johnny is being pushed back against the wall. Hard, harsh lips press against his own, kissing him. A tongue pushes into his mouth, licking and sucking and biting and god- _claiming_ him. Hands grasp his hips hard enough to bruise and all Johnny can do is cling and go along with the whirlwind.

He kisses back, just as desperately, completely aware that they're making out in the hallway and not really caring that Sue and Reed could exit the elevator at any time.

He groans, a low, needy sound, pushing against Ben's hard body, trying to get _more_.

Ben breaks away just as suddenly, looking more startled than Johnny probably does.

The only sound in the empty hallway is their harsh breathing- panting, for a long moment.

"Kid, did'ya do it 'cause we're," Ben breaks off, gesturing helplessly between the two of them and taking a step back. The space between them feels cold, cooler than the heat that had been there seconds ago.

Johnny catches his breath, squares his shoulders and meets Ben's gaze again.

"I would have done it even if we weren't…dating." He pretends to not see the way Ben flinches ever so slightly at the word. He knows Ben is still getting used to this, how it's not always about the intense _heat_ between them, but something softer. He's okay with the fact that Ben still needs to get used to it, mainly because he knows Ben _is_ getting used to it. "But nothing you could've done would have made me leave you."

They stand there for a moment, at a standoff, neither prepared to back down, both a little terrified by what this all means.

Ben is the one to break the silence for a second time.

"I hear Star Wars is playing at a small theatre close by." He offers tentatively.

It's not the dates in expensive restaurants and benefits he's used to. But it may just be better.

DI

In an otherwise empty theatre, they stand out like a sore thumb. Johnny tries not to notice the few employees whip out their phones and start taking pictures. He pretends not to notice how Ben bribes them not to phone the news stations while Johnny is paying for all the snack food they've acquired.

He does let Ben have his liquorish though, because it was really…sweet of Ben. It would be nice to not be hounded by reporters for a couple of hours. Especially since once the media finds out about them, they're never going to hear the end of it.

When Ben had said small theatre, he hadn't been joking. Luckily the seats are huge; big enough for even someone with skin make of stone. There are only a few other people there so they get their pick of seats.

Johnny heads for the back of the theatre, hidden from prying eyes, sitting pressed up against Ben. He grins when a large, rocky arm drapes across his shoulders, inviting him to get comfortable.

The original Star Wars film is playing on the screen in front of them, they're surrounded by junk food and no one is bugging them. It's just him and Ben and no urgent need to save the world at the moment.

There's a group of teenagers at the front and one or two other couples scattered around, but no one is turning around to blatantly stare at them; or at Ben to be more accurate. Johnny can blend in, but Ben has never had that ability.

Johnny's used to going on dates where he stands out, where he has to be the Human Torch and people swarm him. Ben though has dozens of places that he knows of where they can escape and just be _themselves_. That's all Johnny really wants; to be himself with Ben.

A jellybean bounces off his forehead.

He grins over at Ben, allowing himself to be pulled closer. Ben gives him a look that clearly says he knows he's not paying attention to the movie. Johnny grins sheepishly and then, feeling daring, leans closer and plants a kiss on Ben's lips.

He can feel Ben go still against him, eyes probably darting around to make sure no one is watching. He grins and tries again, sliding a hand across Ben's football jersey and feeling stone through the material. He can feel the power Ben holds back as he moves, can feel the _safety_. He's never felt safer then when he's with Ben.

Ben kisses him back slowly, tentatively, and then pulls away with a small, content smile on his face.

It's not necessarily the movie that is what makes this date, it's the fact that they can do this, can be this close and not have to worry.

They could try this in public, try being _out_, but Johnny isn't ready for the camera's to spoil this all and Ben certainly isn't ready for the trouble that is bound to come with being together for the world to see.

This though- this is _good_. No, this is _great_.

The credits roll and the lights come up in the little theatre. Next weekend is another flick, so he figures he can talk Ben into coming back for the next one. A few people wander up the aisles and pass them, casting curious glances but respect their privacy. Part of the group of teenagers walk by and for a second Johnny swears he knows them but they're out the doors before he can place the faces.

"Mr. Storm?" Two of the teenagers stand hesitantly at the end of their aisle as Johnny stands up. Ben tenses behind him, but he still can't shake the feeling that he knows these guys.

"Yeah?" He asks wondering if they were about to ask for an autograph or something. They didn't seem all that star struck though.

"I'm Billy." The brown haired teenager introduces himself. Johnny's heard the name before. "This is Teddy." A blonde stands at his shoulder, taller than Billy. There's something in his stance that reminds Johnny a lot of Ben. It could have something to do with the unconscious protective looming, as his sister calls it.

"You know us as," Teddy drops his voice and leans forwards in a whisper, as though they aren't the only ones left in the theatre. "Hulkling and Wiccan."

Oh! He knew that Billy looked familiar.

"Oh! Hey- thanks for saving my butt and everything." He never actually got the chance to thank them for helping bust him out of the crazy sub dimension a few weeks earlier.

The pair shrugs, grinning despite themselves. Ben relaxes behind him and goes back to munching on what remains of their popcorn.

"We actually just wanted to…um…" Teddy trails off, scratching at the back of his neck and casting Billy a glance.

"We wanted to say congrats." Billy continues, eyes flickering from Johnny to Ben and back again. Ah. It looks like someone had seen them.

Johnny glances back at Ben, just to see his reaction, but Ben is _actually_ smiling, only a little, but smiling nonetheless.

He turns back, his own grin on his face; the pair in front of him seems to relax when he doesn't start freaking out, or whatever else they thought he might do.

"Thanks." He says and means it. A large hand rests on his shoulder as Ben steps in closer, deciding its okay now.

Teddy and Billy wave and head out of the theatre, shoulders brushing, hands entwined and Johnny thinks he understands why they came over to talk. He's not sure how he feels about two teenagers being the ones to try and show them that it's all okay.

"Wanna get something to eat?" Ben asks, amusement colouring his voice.

Johnny glances at the packages of candy and popcorn left over from their movie. After all they ate…yeah, he could go for a bite.

He grins at Ben, taking his hand as they make their way out of the theatre.

"Sure."

"I know this place…"

DI

The slice of pizza in his hand is only still warm because he has been heating it the entire way. Ben had refused to tell him where they had been going, once they'd bought their dinner, had kept telling him it was a secret.

It was worth the wait though.

The Statue of Liberty stands tall above them as they settle down on the grassy embankment. The sun is falling low on the horizon, casting a pink tint to everything and Johnny is beginning to suspect that Ben is a bit of a romantic.

"So whadd'ya think Matchstick?" Ben asks, trying not to look too nervous.

Johnny grins, makes himself comfortable pressed close to Ben and meets clear blue eyes.

"I think you've outdone yourself this time, Benjy." He goes for teasing and figures he must come close because Ben instantly relaxes against him.

"Gonna make yourself useful?" Ben holds out his cold pizza, teasing him back. Johnny heats up the slice, careful not to burn it and then settles in to eat his own.

"Where do you keep finding these places?" Johnny asks once the pizza has been eaten and they've fallen into a comfortable silence. Ben takes his time answering and for a moment he thinks that his rocky companion may not at all.

"When you look like me, you've gotta find places where you don't always stick out like a sore thumb."

"Ben…" Johnny's not really sure what to say to that. He used to tease Ben about his appearance all the time, he'd stopped though. Its times like these where he did wish Ben could turn back, if only to get rid of the misery in blue eyes.

"We're superheroes!" He says forcefully, twisting around to look Ben in the eye. Rocky hands wrap around his waist as he slides onto Ben's lap. "Who cares what everyone else thinks? I don't! I only care about what you think."

Johnny leans forwards and kisses Ben, keeping his eyes open to watch the other man. Ben stares right back, kissing him slowly, and then with more pressure, pulling him tighter against him.

Johnny lets himself be pulled, fitting as closely as he can to Ben's body, eyes finally slipping closed as he spots the acceptance he has been searching for. His arms slip around Ben's neck, anchoring himself.

They're alone here, probably why Ben likes the area so much, so he just lets himself go. His skin is heating up, a flame tickling beneath as he throws himself further into the kiss. If their make out session keeps up, the grass beneath them will end up charred. He definitely doesn't want to explain that one to whoever looks after the grounds.

They haven't done anything else, but right now making out is good- _really _good. Especially when Ben's cool hands slide up under his shirt, running along his back.

Johnny breaks away to grin at Ben.

"So," He begins, soundly pleasantly breathless. "Do we get to do this every weekend?"

DI

It's late when they finally sneak back into the Baxter building, grinning like idiots, shoulders bumping.

Of course, no one is sleeping.

Sue is waiting for them when they exit the elevator, eyebrow raised and looking faintly annoyed. She still finds time to glance between them and smirk before throwing Johnny's phone at him. He catches it deftly; at least this explains why it had been silent all day.

He has three missed phone calls, two from Sue and one from Tony Stark. He makes a note to check the latter later and pockets his phone.

"What's up sis?" He asks going for innocent and probably failing as Ben's hand brushes his.

She sighs, ignores his question and turns to Ben.

"Reed finished the machine." It's like all the air is sucked out of the room.

Johnny tries not to feel anything at the words, whether it be excitement or dismay. Chances are it won't work- it's going to take a long time to get Ben out of his funk after this. He doesn't bother wishing that it'll work- this means so much to Ben, but if it doesn't work, he'll have to be the strong one.

"He thinks it'll work this time." Sue says tentatively. "But remember Ben,"

Ben cuts her off, nervous excitement pouring off of him.

"Well, let's try it out then!" He takes off for the elevator that leads up to Reeds lab and Johnny tries not to feel hurt. It's not like Ben is going anywhere, even if this works- he'll still be Ben, just less…rocky. It won't change who he is. Johnny holds onto this hope and follows after Ben with his sister.

The lab is a mess when they reach it; Reed has gone all out on the large metal box in the middle of the room.

Reed launches into a long and drawn out explanation of why it should work this time and Johnny allows himself to feel the first glimmers of hope. This looks like it could work- Ben could be normal again, could be _happy_. But this version of Ben is normal to him.

If it makes Ben happy, then he's happy too.

"All you have to do is step inside and I'll do the rest." Reed tells Ben, holding the door open to the box expectantly.

Ben takes a deep breath and glances at Johnny.

Johnny offers what he knows is a grim looking smile and gives thumbs up, not really trusting his voice at the moment. Reed looks so sure that it'll work. Maybe this time.

"Wish me luck kid." Ben brushes a rocky hand over his shoulder and Johnny takes a moment to wonder if this will be the last time he feels the rocky touch again.

Then with a last glance at him, Ben steps forwards and into the machine. The metal door swings shut with an ominous thud.

Reeds flicks a bunch of switches and the room is suddenly lit up with a bright blue light. It's so bright that he has to throw his hands over his eyes and look away, brighter than his nova blast- it burns and Johnny has to wonder if Reed had meant for this to happen.

As suddenly as the light begins, it ends and he's left trying to clear the black spots out of his vision. Did it work? He can't see.

His vision slowly comes back to him and he spots his sister blinking in a similar manner. It doesn't look like Reed was expecting the light to be that bright either, as he blinks and shakes his head. It doesn't reassure him.

The metal door groans and swings open. No steam comes billowing out, no more dramatic lights or entrances.

Ben steps out of the box and looks around. Just Ben; still rocky, still the Thing. Still Johnny's.

Johnny feels a sort of hopelessness flow through him that he knows must be _nothing_ compared to what Ben must be feeling.

"Ben, I'm so sorry. It should have worked, I don't understand why," Reed approaches Ben, frowning but he's shrugged off.

"It's fine." Ben says shortly, staring at his hands like they're his own worst enemies. "I should'a known it'd never work." Ben shrugs and then without another word walks into the elevator. They watch the doors close behind him.

"I should go talk to him." Reed begins but Sue stops him with a hand on his arm.

"I think we should leave this one to Johnny." She casts him a knowing glance.

"Right." Johnny hesitantly agrees. "Let's leave it to Johnny." He's not sure what he's going to say though.

DI

He finds Ben, predictably down in their training room. He's beating a bunch of Reed's training robots to scrap metal so Johnny just waits quietly at the door for Ben to finish. Or for the robots to run out.

"What do you want, Matchstick?" Ben grits out as the last robot falls.

"Nothing." Johnny replies, pushing off of the wall and flames on.

Ben's back is to him as he tosses a fireball at the other man. The flame hits but Ben doesn't even grunt. He just ignores Johnny.

Johnny doesn't exactly like being ignored.

The next fireball hits the back of his head and Ben rounds on him, looking irritated. But there's a familiar spark in blue eyes too.

"You don't want t'a do that kid."

Johnny smirks and holds another fireball in his hand.

Ben manages to miss this one by charging at him. Johnny takes off into the air but doesn't go far, hovering close by and tossing balls of fire at the other man. Ben grabs pieces of crushed robot, starts hurling them.

To anyone else this would look like some huge fight, it would look like they're really trying to hurt one another.

Johnny's fireballs can't hurt Ben though and Ben's altering his aim enough that the scraps of metal don't come too close.

But they both need this, need to let loose.

Johnny heats up, hurls another ball of fire and freezes as Ben lets out a sharp yell.

He's on the ground in an instant, confused and feeling panicked.

Ben is kneeling on the ground now, one arm pulled close to his chest and as Johnny watches his skin shifts.

It's like watching the road on a hot day as Ben seems to warp before his eyes, the rock shifting and smoothing out and becoming skin.

Johnny's reaching for his communicator before he realizes what he's doing.

"Reed! Sue! Get down here!" He yells and takes a shaky step towards his boyfriend.

Ben lets out another groan and kind of slumps sideways. Johnny catches him, cradles him close and tries to figure out what the hell has just happened.

"Ben?" He asks, shaky.

"Shit." Ben groans, unfolding slightly and leaning further against Johnny. He's shocked to discover that he can support Ben's weight, that it isn't putting him off balance. He spots the arm that Ben has clutched to his chest, spots the red burn against pink skin and feels like he's going to be sick. Oh god- he _hurt_ Ben.

And Ben, no longer the strong, rocky man but a hurt, _human_ lets out another groan; his voice is no longer as deep or gravelly.

Ben's human again. Johnny can't quite wrap his mind around the fact that Reed's machine works.

The other man lets out a shaky laugh, something exhausted but excited, disbelieving. Johnny tries to work up a smile but he doesn't really feel like celebrating at the moment.


	2. Part Two

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own.

A/N- Deals with slight homophobia in this chapter. But only slight. Yay part two! This makes me happy :) I've actually had half of this sitting on my computer for weeks. Hopefully part three won't take as long but I make no promises.

(Seriously what is it with me getting colds and having the urge to write?)

Enjoy!

* * *

Johnny gets to take Ben up to the lab with Sue and Reed but gets stopped at the door with a stern glance and told to go find somewhere else to be for the next little while.

He stares blankly at the door long after it has slid closed in his face. Go find somewhere else to be? He understands that he is a klutz at times and might get in the way but he _needs _to be in there with Ben.

He's not sure what to do with himself.

He can still feel Bens _skin_, warm and soft under his hands. Can picture the red-brown hair that he hasn't seen in _years_ and the suddenly softer tone to his voice. The low gravely quality is gone.

Bens eyes hadn't changed though; they'd looked at Johnny with such hope and happiness and Johnny is _so_ happy for him. But his stomach still twists unpleasantly when he thinks about how much of a change Ben has gone through.

He finally shakes himself out of his thoughts and turns and heads down to the living room.

There's nothing on the tv, no video games he wants to play, he doesn't even want to think of eating. He's not sure how long they're going to be up there, or even when they'll let _him_ up there and he feels useless just sitting there.

He doesn't want to think about whether the change is permanent or not, or what it will do to Ben or what it will do to _him_ and _Ben_.

Johnny breathes in slowly, and lets it out in a rush. He's happy for Ben, really happy.

On the news there's footage of Stark Tower being attacked by some giant creature that looks kind of like a living mountain. Johnny peers out the window and sure enough, he can spot it from the living room. On the screen the Avengers are fighting it with everything they've got but it doesn't look like they're having much luck.

It's been awhile since he's fought anything that the Mole Man has sent to the surface world.

He's at the window, pulling it open and in the air before he really thinks it through.

He needs to work off this nervous energy that's coursing through him, pass some time; maybe when he gets back they'll let him see Ben.

With that cheerful thought in his head he takes off towards the source of the destruction.

DI

"Thanks again for your help."

Shaking Captain America's hand will never get old, Johnny decides.

"No problem. I had some time to kill." He admits. Steve grins at him and then heads off, probably to see if he can help anywhere else.

"And for his next act, Steve will now go rescue a kitten from a burning building." Tony steps up next to him, and while he can't see it, Johnny can hear the fondness that seeps into his voice.

"And save a school bus of children from a cliff." Johnny jokes and the Iron Man faceplate turns towards him.

"That was last week." For a moment he can't tell if Tony is joking or not because he can _totally_ picture it.

He grins and scrubs a hand through his hair, dislodging bits of dirt and rock that he'd acquired chasing the living mountain monster back underground.

"Sorry I missed your call earlier." Johnny says suddenly. To be fair though under the circumstances anyone would have forgotten to call back.

Tony waves it off and as Johnny blinks the armour flies off and he's left standing next to Tony dressed in a very sparkly, gold suit. For a moment he wonders if he's planning on joining the circus or something.

"There's a benefit coming up and I can't make it. The tickets are yours if you want." Tony grins slyly over at him. "It's for a plus one."

Johnny thinks of Ben, rocky Ben standing out at the benefit and then of this new (hopefully) human Ben and how he would blend in. Like Ben had always wanted.

"Yeah about Ben…" Johnny begins, unsure of how to suddenly tell him the news.

"Bens human?" Tony cuts him off, eyes suddenly glazed over. His mouth is opened slightly and he's staring at some unseen point over Johnny's shoulder.

"He's having some problems with Extremis." Steve appears at their sides and shakes Tony's shoulder lightly. Johnny's not really sure what's going on, but the blonde man looks kind of concerned.

Tony blinks suddenly, looks around and then grins at them.

"I think we owe Reed some congratulations!"

Steve looks at Johnny, waiting for some sort of explanation.

"Reeds machine worked this time." Johnny starts. "Ben's human again- they were running tests back at the Baxter building when I left. How did you know?" He asks because he has no idea how the other man could have known this.

"It's all over the news." Tony explains. Right- computer in his brain. "Apparently they caught him leaving the building with someone."

They finished with the tests and didn't even call Johnny? They probably just got too caught up, he reasons.

"I'd better get back." They probably went cloth shopping or something because Ben's old clothes wouldn't fit him anymore but his frame was larger than both Johnny and Reeds.

"Tell Reed I'll call him later." Tony calls after him as he takes off into the sky.

He can't wait to get back and see Ben, this would put a crimp in his teasing but he figures he can just come up with some new stuff.

DI

"Sue and Alicia took him shopping." Reed doesn't even look up from whatever he's working on.

"Okay…" It's stupid and childish but he can't help but feel jealous every time Ben and Alicia get together. Ben's dating _Johnny_ now, he doesn't need to be jealous. "Do you know when they're going to be back?"

Reed shrugs and stretches his neck out until his head has completely disappeared into the machine. Even after all this time, it still freaks him out a little.

So he heads downstairs, unsure of what to do with himself for the second time that day.

He doesn't have to go anywhere though, because the doors to the elevator slide open when he's walking passed and Sue steps out. Or at least what resembles her legs. The rest of her is covered up by what has to be at least thirty shopping bags.

"I don't know sis," Johnny says, taking some of the bags from her as they threaten to fall. "This seems like a lot, even for you."

"Johnny?" Sue cranes her neck around a few of the bags. "None of these are mine."

He stares at the bags and peeks inside one. Boxers. _Armani boxers_. He doesn't even wear those and he likes to wear the expensive stuff.

Sue lets out a frustrated huff and drops the bags in the middle of the hall. She doesn't look very happy.

"Can you tell Ben to get up here and move this stuff?" She asks and then turns and strides off down the hall, leaving the bags in a massive pile on the floor.

Johnny watches her go, shrugs and figures she's just had too much sun and takes the elevator down to the front lobby.

The elevator pings open and Johnny steps out. At first he doesn't recognize Ben, so used to the rocky exterior that is impossible to miss, but he spots him with Alicia by a pillar and heads over.

Only to pause halfway there.

Because Ben is _leaning in_, smile on his face, hand resting just above Alicia's elbow. He can't hear what is being said but he can tell it's being said quietly. Alicia smiles back, body tilted slightly towards Ben.

She may be blind but Johnny is most certainly _not_ and to him this looks a _lot_ like flirting.

He shakes it off for the moment, deciding that it's probably just Ben getting used to having his body back again and closes the distance between them.

"Hey." He greets.

The pair glances over at Johnny and Ben drops his hand from Alicia's arm. Johnny pretends he doesn't notice.

"Johnny!" Ben beams at him and Johnny almost takes a step back in surprise. An arm is slung over his shoulders and pulls him close. He's not sure what to do with the sudden public display of affection. Ben used to avoid them like the plague.

"Uh…" He says dumbly before remembering why he had come down in the first place. "Sue says that you have to deal with the bags in the hallway upstairs."

He's not even sure how Ben had managed to talk Sue into carrying all his bags. Johnny had barely been able to talk her into carrying two for him the last time they'd gone shopping.

"Right. Well, I'll call ya later Alicia." Ben promises and then Johnny is being pulled across the lobby, hand entwined with Bens. He is hyper aware of the people that stop and stare. He ducks his head until they make it into the elevator.

"Are you feeling okay?" Johnny asks cautiously.

"Yeah." Ben grins, eyes trained on something Johnny cannot see. "Just…happy."

That makes sense. Johnny can see this new found happiness thrumming through Ben and it's contagious. He feels himself grinning in response.

Ben leans in suddenly, crowding Johnny back against the wall of the elevator and Johnny lets him.

The kiss is new and exciting and nothing like what he's used to. He kisses Ben back, hands slipping up the back of his shirt to feel smooth skin and the strong muscle beneath.

He tries not to miss the feel of hard stone lips or cool rocky skin.

DI

"Hey," Johnny leans in the door way and watches as Ben buttons up his jersey. Pale skin disappears with each button and Johnny can't help but watch. "Want to spar today?"

Ben shoots him a look and Johnny thinks, yeah, okay- might be a bad idea.

"How about a movie?" He tries instead and trails his eyes up from Ben's rather tight jeans to his face.

"Can't." Ben says and grabs his wallet off the bed. "Already have plans."

"All day?" Johnny asks, hand slipping into his pocket and brushing against the sturdy paper there. "Cause Tony gave me some tickets to a benefit tonight. I was thinking if you weren't busy…that maybe we could go together? It might make it a little less dull." He adds hastily.

Ben glances over at him finally, toying with his wallet and Johnny cannot tell what he's thinking. For the past two years Johnny's almost always been able to tell what the other man has been thinking; it worries him that it might have changed.

"What time?"

"Eight." Johnny says quickly, trying not to sound too eager.

"I can meet you there." Ben finally says, slipping his wallet into his pocket. Johnny hands him one of the fancy tickets. Their fingers brush and Ben drops a kiss to the top of his head as he slides passed.

All in all, it feels strangely platonic.

DI

"What's up?"

He has time to burn and way too much energy so he heads up to Reed's lab in the hope that he can find some way to keep himself occupied for the afternoon. Even as he stands there, his hands shoved in his pockets, he's bouncing on his toes.

It's just- this benefit, it's not like their other dates. Those were _secrets_, with Ben constantly looking over his shoulder in case they're spotted or something. This is them, out together, somewhere where there will be reporters and paparazzi and people who _don't know about them_.

He can't even say his nerves are from dreading it. A large part of him can't wait.

"Something set off Hank Pyms seismographs, reading four out of ten and whatever it is appears to be growing in density." Reed rambles off and Johnny blinks and turns to Sue.

"He said," She sighs and tries not to roll her eyes. "That Hank thinks that something is going on underground and that it's causing tremors throughout the city, and whatever it is getting bigger."

Oh. He's not sure why Reed couldn't have just said that.

"So…the Mole Man's up to something again?" Twice in one week seems extreme for the villain, especially after the beating he'd taken earlier.

"Possibly." Reed frowns down at whatever it is he's looking at.

"Anything I can do to help?" Johnny ignores the shocked look Sue gives him. "I've got a couple of hours free." And he'll go crazy if he doesn't do _something_.

"Actually yes," Reed finally looks up. "I need you to go down to Central park and take a few readings."

He hands Johnny some weird looking device that Johnny just knows he's going to end up breaking by the end of the day. He takes it anyways, exits via the roof and heads for the park.

A crowd gathers around when he lands but for once he ignores them (for the most part) and heads to what looks like a huge hole in the ground that's cordoned off by police tape and surrounded by the cities finest.

He waves the device around the hole, just like Reed had said and watches as the little numbers and bars jump. He has no idea what it means, but he's pretty sure it's not good.

At first he thinks he's imagining it, the slight growl and the barely there shaking but the noise grows louder and suddenly the ground is shaking harder and it feels like the earth is moving.

Johnny tips sideways, taking to the air, as the cries of the people around him grow louder. Officers grab onto each other, trees, benches, garbage cans-whatever they can get their hands on if only so they do not fall into this huge sink hole.

The growling reaches a crescendo and parts of the pavement fall into the sinkhole, dragging police tape and a lamp post with it.

Johnny swoops in and grabs an officer before he ends up in the hole as well.

And just as sudden as it started, it's over.

He lands on the ground, flames off and tries to find out if he can help.

Everyone is swarming around him asking questions, demanding answers and he has no idea. Maybe it's just nature- but he hopes Reed comes up with an answer, he gets the feeling that the sinkhole hasn't finished growing.

"Is it true?" One woman fights her way to the front of the crowd and grabs Johnny by the arm. She looks mad- no she looks _furious._

"What?" He asks, at a loss. Her grip on his arm tightens and something like _disgust_ creeps across her features. Johnny has no idea what's going on.

"The news says that you and…and that _Thing_ are _together_."

The way she spits the word out leaves no room for imagination- Johnny's afraid he knows exactly what she's talking about.

The crowd stop talking over one another and suddenly all the attention has been shifted to this woman.

Johnny wants to get angry, to get righteous.

"That's not important right now, what's important is this sink hole…" He can feel the weight of the stares and he starts to wilt under it.

"My son has your toy." The woman continues and Johnny feels small and sick under her glare. "You disgusting-"

He takes off before she can finish.

DI

He turns on the TV as soon as he gets back to the building.

It takes him a minute but he finds it, the footage of Ben tossing an arm over his shoulders and dragging him by the hand to the elevator. He should have known someone would be watching.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

He starts, turns around and spots Sue standing in the doorway, concern on her face.

No- he doesn't want to talk about it.

It's fine. It's none of anyone's business who he dates, who he might lo- care about. He shouldn't care what one person thinks. That woman was _wrong_.

Then why does he feel this way?

"No." He says and he finally realizes that he's still holding the equipment Reed had originally sent him out with. "I have to get this up to Reed."

Sue stops him with a hand on his arm as he walks by.

"Really Sue," he summons up his most convincing smile. "I'm okay."

DI

His shoes are polished, his suit is clean and wrinkle free, he doesn't have a hair out of place, (even his nails are done- but he'll never admit to this) and he's dressed to the nines and ready to party.

Johnny shows up at seven and spends the next hour sitting in his car a couple of blocks away while he waits for the time to pass. To pass the time he learns the words to every BTO song on the CD he finds under the passenger seat (which he suspects belongs to Ben).

At eight o'clock sharp he's waiting at the doors, shaking hands and smiling at the people he knows as they walk passed. A few ask if he's coming in and invite him for a drink but he waves them off saying he's waiting for someone.

They all get knowing looks on their faces and keep going.

At eight twenty he checks his phone just to see if he has any missed calls or texts. He sets his phone on its loudest setting and vibrate just in case, so he'll feel it, and slides it back into his pocket.

At eight thirty it starts to drizzle so Johnny retreats to the safety of the awning.

By eight fifty-seven almost everyone has arrived and they look like they want to close the doors; Johnny gives them his best grin and bribes the guy working at the doors with a hundred to keep them open just a little while longer.

His hand seeks out the phone in his pocket, pulls it out and checks again but there's still no missed calls, no missed text messages and it's after nine now.

The rain is coming down harder, flooding the streets and Johnny's highly polished shoes lose their shine as he steps out onto the pavement and heads for his car. His clean, wrinkle free suit bunches and clings to him as it soaks up the water, and oh god does he _hate_ water but he doesn't run for his car. He just doesn't feel up to the mad dash for the relative safety of the vehicle.

His hair is plastered to his head and water is dripping down off his chin, ears, nose; it drips into his eyes clouding his vision.

But he makes it to his car, climbs in and sits there for a moment, hurt and wondering what had happened.

Ben had to have had a good explanation. Benjamin Grimm wouldn't just leave Johnny standing there like an idiot for an hour without a really good explanation.

He'd just have to ask him what it was.

DI

"Have you seen Ben?" Johnny starts to ask only to be cut off by a vicious sneeze. He grabs a napkin, blows his nose and asks again.

"Are you feeling alright?" Sue asks and reaches out, pressing a hand to his forehead. She frowns when she feels how warm he is, but to be fair he's _always_ warm.

"I have a bit of a cold or something." From waiting around for Ben. He'd come home but had been unable to find Ben. He'd phoned, left messages, tried his _communicator_ and nothing- no sign of Ben.

He's never been able to _not_ find Ben.

Johnny hadn't slept well and to top it all off he'd woken up with some sort of cold.

He's tired, sick and beyond frustrated.

"Have you seen Ben?" He asks again and makes a note to apologize later for snapping at his sister. She arches an eyebrow at him but replies anyways.

"I don't think he came home last night. Why?"

Sue doesn't know about the benefit and the plus one invitation and how excited he'd been by it.

"It's nothing." Johnny tries to smile reassuringly but probably falls short.

Whatever his sister is about to ask him gets cut off as the building suddenly starts to shake. Johnny stumbles and a few cups fall to the ground, shattering upon impact. It ends as abruptly as it had begun. All in all it's fairly unimpressive.

"I'm going to kill him." Sue mutters staring at the ceiling.

"It wasn't me." Reed appears from the hallway, holding his hands up in a way that is probably meant to placate his wife.

"What was it then?" Johnny asks before Sue and Reed start some sort of married couple fight. That's the last thing he wants is to end up stuck between them in one of their fights.

Sue ignores Reeds hurried explanation about shifting plates and tremors and things that go in one of Johnny's ears and out the other. Instead she reaches over, flicks on the television and goes straight to the news.

It's not the mountain monster this time.

Instead it's a giant made of ice terrorizing down town. Johnny winces, already knowing he isn't going to like this fight.

The camera crew zooms in and starts talking about brave citizens rushing to the rescue and Johnny's heart catches in his throat.

"He's going to get himself killed." Sue breathes, hand resting on her mouth and eyes wide.

Johnny can't tear his eyes away from the footage of Ben, _human_ Ben rushing forwards and trying to take on the ice giant with a two by four.

The idiot- if that thing doesn't kill him, Johnny just might have to.

"Is this live?" He finds his voice, terrified that this has already happened and that they'll see Ben fall any second.

Sue nods.

Johnny burns his way through the window and is in the air without a second thought, Sue right behind him on one of her force field discs. Reed shouts that he'll be right there with the Fantasti-car.

DI

The bright side of being him is that when he wants to be he is completely capable of being a bright, flaming distraction.

The ice giant gives up on trying to stomp the tiny human down by its feet the second it spots Johnny. He dodges the hand that heads his way and keeps the thing preoccupied long enough for Sue to grab Ben and move him _far_ away.

Okay, he thinks- ice giant, he just needs to turn up the heat.

He gets as close as he can and does just that, burning brighter, as hot as he can without endangering the on lookers down below.

Nothing's happening. Johnny backs off and grits his teeth in frustration. This clearly isn't his day. The creature doesn't even look like it's _sweating_.

Okay, if it wants to play hardball he's more than willing to play along.

"Sue!" He calls down to his sister, takes his eyes off the ice giant for two seconds. "I need a for-"

Something cold and hard hits him, knocks the breath from him and he goes tumbling backwards through the air. His flame goes out, he can't catch his breath and all he feels is _pain, pain, pain_.

His stomach drops as he falls and he can hear screaming. He opens his eyes to see the concrete rushing towards him before he hits something solid, stopping his descent just before he becomes a pancake.

It's not a soft landing but he'll take it over pancake any day.

He's still having trouble catching his breath.

"Johnny!" The force field is removed from underneath him and thrown over his head, letting him fall the remaining two feet to the ground, just before an icy arm comes crashing down towards him.

He waves to his sister that he's still alive and starts to push himself up so he's sitting. His ribs twinge and protest the movement and he bites his lip, sucking in air and trying to clear the spots from before his eyes.

Someone slides to their knees next to him and pull him up so he's sitting, half leaning against them.

"Matchstick, you okay?" Johnny closes his eyes and leans into Ben.

"Sure." He grins half-heartedly. A hand comes up to rest on the nape of his neck, playing with the short hair there.

With a sigh he pulls away and starts to stand, there's still an ice giant to fight and even if Reed chooses that moment to show up, they're still a member short and need Johnny.

"Sit this out." Ben says, helping Johnny to his feet. Worried blue eyes stare back at him.

Johnny raises an eyebrow and Ben sighs, he _knows_ that Johnny could never sit it out.

"You need to sit this out." Johnny says instead. Bens face hardens and he looks ready to argue. "Ben you're," Johnny hesitates on saying human because it sounds a lot like _fragile_ right now. "No match against this guy."

"I can take him." Ben snarls and Johnny nearly takes a step back at the sudden anger directed his way.

"With a two by four?" He shoots back.

Ben crosses his arms and scowls.

"Look," Johnny clamps down on everything he wants to say, all the questions he wants to ask. "We'll work it out later. Just, sit this one out- please? For me?" He's not sure it will work but the scowl slips from Ben's face.

Johnny wants to reach out, wants to pull Ben close but it isn't the time for that. Whatever is going on with Ben it will have to wait for later.

Johnny takes back off into the air to join the others.

DI

He gets a text about an hour after the fight from Peter.

_Hows it feel 2 b out of the closet?_

He stares at the screen for a moment, knows he's going to be teased until the end of time and that Peter is probably kind of annoyed that Johnny didn't tell him first.

_Dibs on being ur best man. _Comes a minute later, closely followed by, _or ur maid of honour. W/e_

He rolls his eyes at the phone and is about to reply when he picks up on a rather heated argument going on. Johnny follows the raised voices to the kitchen, surprised to find it's not some husband-wife spat but it's Ben and Sue arguing.

He stops and watches for a moment if only because he can't remember the last time he'd seen the two arguing.

"What's going on, guys?" He asks interrupting a rather creative insult that Sue had just unleashed. Ben clenches his jaw and won't meet his eyes so Johnny turns to Sue for answers instead.

She looks just as angry but the second she makes eye contact with Johnny the anger starts to turn into pity and something in Johnny's chest tightens. This is a feat considering his ribs are taped at the moment.

"Sue?" He asks, warily.

She bites her lip and he knows she's about to tell him something he doesn't want to hear.

He looks to Ben again but the other man keeps staring passed him. Sue squares her jaw and glares at Ben.

"Are you going to tell him or do I have to?" She asks.

Ben shrugs, shoves his hands in his pockets and with a bored look on his face, suddenly replacing the anger, he rocks Johnny's world.

"I'm gonna ask Alicia to marry me." He says this like they're talking about the weather or something Reed is doing up in the lab that neither of them understands.

It feels like a sucker punch to the gut and Johnny suddenly can't breath. He can feel hysteria creeping up on him and he wants to laugh or giggle or burst into tears with laughter because this? This is so completely unexpected that he's half convinced it's a joke. But the serious look on Sue's face never falters and Ben checks his watch like he has somewhere to be, somewhere that isn't with his_ boyfriend_.

"What the hell is going on?" Johnny finally demands and shock is quickly being replaced with burning _anger. _

"It's none of your business, kid."

"I think it is." Johnny takes the step forward so they're literally toe-to-toe and Ben has an inch on Johnny but Johnny is confused, hurt and _furious_ so it really doesn't matter.

"Back off." And just like that the anger is back across Ben's face and he's looming over Johnny but he will _not_ back down.

"Boys!" Sue snaps from somewhere behind them.

But they've always have had tempers. Before they'd been fairly evenly matched and had been able to work it out together but Johnny is completely aware of the fact that he could lose control of his flame if his temper rises much more.

Ben may be okay with crushing Johnny, with tearing his world apart, but Johnny would rather die than hurt the other man.

Johnny grits his teeth and takes a step back. He doesn't know what's going on with Ben but he just _knows_ that something is wrong.

He looks over at Sue and her eyes meet his.

Ben takes this moment to swing a fist at his head and Johnny knows this is going to hurt because Sue looks too shocked to move and Ben has always been muscle.

"That is _enough_!" Reed has an arm wrapped around half of Ben's torso, restraining him.

Johnny stares at Ben as he struggles against Reed's hold and the man is literally spitting mad, eyes wild and half crazed with rage. He's _never_ seen him like this.

It kind of frightens him.

"Please tell me you know what's going on." Sue practically begs, eyes on Ben's face, terrified of what's happening to her friend.

"I do." Reed doesn't sound positive though. Ben suddenly stops fighting and the anger slips right off of his face like it was never there to begin with. He blinks, spots Johnny and grins, wide and beautiful.

"Johnny!"

Johnny starts, not sure what is going on.

"Reed," Ben looks down at the arm around him with exasperation. "Will ya let me go? I mean I like ya, but not this much."

Sue and Johnny exchange a look as Reed lets go of Ben.

"I think we'd better go up to my lab."

DI

"There was a problem with the machine." For once Reed skips the long explanations that seem to take forever and never get to the point.

Johnny holds perfectly still as Ben appears behind him and wraps his arms around his waist. Slight stubble brushes against his cheek as Ben rests his head on Johnny's shoulder from behind and watches Reed tinker with mild curiosity.

Ben is a solid presence pressed up against his back, and Johnny wants to cry because _this_, this closeness was all he wanted.

"What does that mean?" He asks, heart heavy in his chest. Right now he's thinking the worst and he needs someone to tell him it will all be all right.

"It means that a section of Ben's brain is not functioning the way it should be." Reed fidgets with a small laser tool, almost like he can't help it.

"Will he be okay?" Johnny asks, more insistent. Ben tightens his hold on Johnny's waist and murmurs encouraging words in his ear. His lips drag lightly across Johnny's cheek and Johnny can feel it as they curve into a small smile.

"It's a chemical imbalance that is causing the mood swings with Ben right now, it's what has been causing the random anger or, uh- contentment, along with other emotions."

"Can we fix it?" Sue asks.

"I don't know."

Johnny bristles.

"What do you mean you don't know?" He demands and Ben tightens his grip on Johnny's waist and nips at his earlobe in a way that distracts him. He worms out of the grasp and escapes the prying hands.

"It's possible but I don't know if it will turn Ben back into the _Thing_." Johnny stares at Reed because that should really be the least of his concerns. "And that's even if we can recalibrate the machine…"

"Don't worry about whether it will turn Ben back into theThing." Johnny says. "Just _fix_ him." His desperation bleeds into his voice and Reed gives him a sympathetic look that Johnny resents.

"Don't I get a say in this?" Ben asks and Johnny turns around, surprised to see that Ben appears normal- no heated glances towards Johnny or angry gestures or dopey smiles- just Ben.

"Of course." Reed hurries to assure him, probably just so Ben won't explode on them again. "You should know that your erratic behaviour will continue if not treated and could possibly become worse."

"But it'll probably turn me back into a monster." Ben avoids their eyes, staring off at a point that they cannot see.

"I can try to work around it. It just may take time, there is some medication that you can try until we work out the uh, kinks."

Ben nods silently but still refuses to meet their eyes. Johnny is feeling frustrated and worried and he thinks they should just go ahead with it all because he certainly doesn't think Ben is a monster, has never thought that. Not many people think that anymore and he's not sure why Ben cannot see this.

"Alright." Ben shrugs and looks at Reed. "Might as well, what have I got to lose?" Except he glances over at Johnny for a moment as he says this.

Johnny wants to shake him and make him understand that he's not going anywhere and it will take a lot more than growing a rocky exterior to get rid of him, but Ben wouldn't listen to him.

"I'll call Tony and Hank, get their help on this." Reed promises. "With their help hopefully we should be able to fix this without having to turn you back."

Johnny has heard this promise before though and while Reed means well, this is something he has never been able to follow through with.

"Hey," Ben says softly, suddenly beside Johnny and he realizes that his sister and brother in law are across the room already working on another cure for their teammate. Ben stands close but just far enough away that Johnny notices. "Looks like I might be me again."

There's a tentative happiness there but it's overshadowed by weariness and doubt.

"You never stopped being you." Johnny says. He goes to reach out but Ben flinches away. Johnny tries not to feel too hurt by this. He looks away and out the window and is surprised when a tentative hand curls around his own.

Johnny stares down at their loosely joined hands like it's something he's never seen before and then looks up at Ben.

He opens his mouth to say something, what he isn't sure, but he never gets to say it.

The city is rocked as an explosion, loud and bright rips through down town. Johnny tips backwards as the building shakes and watches with mute horror as a wall of flames rises up from the city and takes on a humanoid form.

"I'm reading seismic activity out in the bay." Reed calls from across the lab.

"Yeah, well I'm looking at a giant fire creature outside our window." Johnny calls back. He can just make out the Iron Man suit headed for the creature and a glint that has to be Captain America's shield, the other hero holding onto Iron Man. He thinks he spots Peter and Spider woman, maybe Ms. Marvel.

It looks like everyone is headed to the fight.

He gets the feeling that they're definitely going to need him for this one.

"Let's go." Johnny calls to Reed and Sue, already heading for the roof. He hears footsteps following behind but when he turns around its Ben there instead.

"Ben, you can't come," He starts, awkwardly only to be silenced as Ben pulls him in suddenly and kisses him, hard. It's quick and messy but the way Ben sucks on his tongue has his toes curling and all the blood in his body rushing south.

"Be careful." Ben whispers against his lips when he finally pulls away. Johnny can only nod at the worried look in the other mans eyes. "Wish I were going with ya."

Johnny steps back, flames on and waves as he takes off towards the fight. He can see Sue and Reed dashing out onto the roof to join him.

He desperately wishes Ben were coming too.


	3. Part Three

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own.

A/N- Wow. It's finally done. This has been driving me crazy for so long and I couldnt figure out how to write it- but it HAS BEEN DONE! Three straight days and it's done. You have no idea how glad I am...and slightly twitchy. Enjoy!

* * *

Johnny just barely dodges a ball of fire the size of a mini van as it comes sailing by him.

"Torch! Stop it before it hits the ground!" Iron Man's voice echoes loud in his ear but Johnny has already turned and darted after the ball of fire.

Down below a crowd has gathered, ignoring the rescue workers trying to move them to safety, all to watch the group of heroes up above.

"I've got it!" Ms Marvel gets to the ball of fire first.

"Thanks!" Johnny calls out and heads back into the fray. His costume is singed, something he'd thought was impossible. And his own flame seems to have no effect on the giant creature made of fire terrorizing down town, but the creature can definitely hurt _him_.

War Machine flies by and the air suddenly explodes with noise so loud it makes Johnny want to clap his hands over his ears, as the man launches his arsenal at the creature.

Johnny's eyes widen, as the creature seems to absorb the explosions and grow even larger.

"So, that didn't work." War Machines voice comes through the comm. Link. "Anyone else got any ideas?"

"Anyone got a really big hose?" Luke asks.

"Wiccan," Tony calls out. The Young Avenger is in the air in an instant, Hulkling close behind while the other teenagers remain on the ground. "Try getting us some water!"

Wiccan starts to chant and Johnny circles around keeping an eye on things. The clouds overhead start to darken and crackle and the hair on the back of his neck stands on end, apprehension creeping over him.

"_…_" Wiccan's eyes close and Hulkling turns his gaze on his boyfriend so neither one of them see it as the creature seems to realize what they're up to.

Johnny sees though.

A pillar of flame erupts from the creature's chest and Hulkling moves to block Wiccan but then Johnny is there.

He gets between them, amps up his flame and draws in everything he can.

The fire that hits him is almost like a brick wall and it pushes him back, but he grits his teeth and bears it, soaking up as much as he can until he feels full, feels like he's burning up.

And then it's over.

Johnny takes a ragged breath, tries to hold in the flame. He's glowing brighter, lighting up the grey buildings and sidewalks. He feels hyper sensitive, the fire crackling beneath his skin like energy.

He pulls it all in, gathers it close and then unleashes it. The flame is torn from him, sent back at the creature in an explosive force leaving him feeling drained but okay as he watches it hit its mark. The bright light blinds them until it fades and the creature stumbles back before righting itself.

"I don't think I can do that again." Johnny breathes heavily answering Tony's question before he can ask it. "Not for a little while at least."

"Okay." Tony says, flying high over the creature's head. "Wiccan, try again."

The clouds grow darker overhead.

Johnny glances in the direction of the bay, catching a glimpse of a monster made of water and the heroes surrounding it. They're too far away to make out his sister but he can see them move about. If they could just get the fire creature down there they wouldn't have a problem fighting it. But between them and the bay are too many people. Lightning flashes through the sky and Johnny knows he needs to get down onto the ground.

"_Intruder alert._" Blares through his comm. Link and it takes him a moment to place it. Something clenches in his chest, making it hard to breath and he searches until his gaze lands on the Baxter Building. "_Intruder alert._" The computer repeats in the background.

The building looks peaceful, but that doesn't mean anything. The sky darkening around them casts an ominous background on his home.

_Ben_ is there.

Ben who has a mean right hook but is no match against most of their villains like this.

"I'm checking it out." He speaks in the comm. Link, hurried.

"Johnny," Sue's voice filters back to him.

"I'll let you know what I find. Ben probably just pushed a button he shouldn't have." He jokes but doesn't feel any reassurance with the thought. "I'll be back." He tells Tony and then he's off, flying as fast as he can towards home.

The first raindrops start to fall.

::

Johnny barely makes it to the roof.

Raindrops, fat and thick fall, sizzling as they hit his flame. They start slow and then faster.

Johnny stumbles onto the rooftop and heads straight for the stairs. The door opens easily and he frowns, instantly on alert as the electricity appears to be out. His stomach twists and he knows he shouldn't go in- but _Ben _is in there. Someone is in their home, someone that shouldn't be.

The sound of the rain fades behind him and he pushes his wet hair back off his forehead, working on making the water evaporate into a light steam as he makes his way towards the lab.

He pauses; hand on the console to open the door. He can hear voices, muted and low coming from the other side. And then a yell. And a crash.

Johnny doesn't think- he just burns as bright as he can and right through the door.

"Johnny!" A voice calls out and he sees rock, familiar rock and he thinks _Ben_, something jolting through him. But. It's Ben, human and struggling against a rocky fist that has him immobilized, growing from the floor. "Watch out!"

Johnny moves just in time. He doesn't think- just darts to the side and flames on. The rock creeping towards him just misses.

"Who is it Ben?" Johnny calls out, scrambling back and throwing a ball of fire as the rock tries to follow him.

A chuckle echoes from the shadows of the room. The emergency lighting doesn't reach far enough for Johnny to see anything. The sound sends chills down his spine. He _knows_ the voice.

So Johnny burns brighter and illuminates the room.

And Diablo steps out of the shadows.

"Johnny Storm." The alchemist grins, dark and predatory. "It's so nice to see you again."

Johnny reaches for his comm. Link- he needs to let Reed and Sue know. The monsters outside suddenly make sense.

But something heavy hits him from behind and he falls, dazed and his flame goes out.

"Now, now," Diablo tuts. Johnny finds himself lifted and held, arms trapped at his sides by a rock fist. "We can't have Richards showing up just yet."

"What do you want?" Johnny demands and shoots Ben a glance, trying to gauge whether the other man is all right. He doesn't look any worse for wear but Johnny won't be certain until he can get his hands on him.

"He wants the machine." Ben grits out, a muscle ticking in his jaw, eyes furious. The machine that'll turn Ben _back_.

"That is correct." Diablo steps towards Ben and panic seizes Johnny. This isn't Diablo versus _The Thing_- this is Diablo and Benjamin Grimm. "You see, I have control of the four elements, however the fifth one is just out of my grasp." He stops just in front of Ben, runs a hand over the rock holding the other man prisoner. "Metal. And this machine of Richards is just what I need to,"

"That's great and everything." Johnny interrupts. Letting villains monologue buys time but Johnny's always had a short temper where this specific villain's involved. "But I got tired of your speeches _years_ ago. Close your eyes Ben."

He flames on, burns _hotter_, burns _brighter_ and feels the stone start to give. He pushes and pushes, and then suddenly the stone is dropping away.

Johnny takes an awkward step forwards and then a steadier one and another until he's in the center of the room.

"You should probably just give up now." He says. Diablo may be stronger since when they last met, but Johnny is stronger too.

Diablo chuckles and Johnny bristles.

The stone holding Ben crumbles suddenly and the other man falls to the floor, landing hard on his hands and knees.

"You think your little flame scares me?" The alchemist turns his gaze on Johnny, eyes gleaming and _insane_. He takes a step towards Johnny and Johnny stands his ground.

"Don't come any closer." Johnny warns, burns hotter but Diablo just keeps coming. He tries to stay still, to hold his ground but panic is creeping into his senses. If the other man gets any closer, he'll burn himself on Johnny's flame and while his mind is telling him that the man is _evil_, he still feels the fear growing stronger. He can't burn anyone- not again. He _can't_.

"Ben," Johnny calls out. "Run!"

And then he can see just how mad Diablo is up close because the man is barely a foot away and a hand closes around Johnny's throat, grip like steel.

Johnny fights, confusion and panic making his movements weak, fingers scrambling uselessly against the grip. He kicks out but it has no effect. There is no air getting through and spots dance across his vision.

He just has to get free, just has to wait and then Sue and Reed will come and see why he hasn't checked in, they'll come and save the day.

But even as he thinks this, he knows that there isn't enough time.

His arms feel heavy and fall limp at his sides, useless. Johnny sags, only the steel grip holding him up.

_Please_, he thinks, _just let Ben get away._

And then suddenly the grip is gone.

Johnny falls to the ground, gasping as air suddenly rushes back into his lungs as he blinks the spots out of his vision and sees Ben standing with a metal bar in his hands and glowering behind Diablo.

"Stay the hell away from my _boyfriend_." He growls, low in his throat and so like _The Thing_, so like the Ben Johnny knows. Something swells through him, tightens in his chest and makes him feel _light_.

But then Johnny blinks and Diablo moves- so much faster then Johnny remembers- knocking Ben across the room like he's made of paper. Johnny watches as Ben hits the ground, feels his heart clench and tries to tear his eyes from the sight.

"You think you can stop me?" The man demands, voice harsh. There isn't a single burn on him. He laughs and turns and heads straight for the machine.

Sue and Reed aren't there and Johnny can't stop him on his own. But if he gets the cosmic energy from the machine _no one_ will be able to stop him.

Johnny looks over to where Ben is slowly moving, trying to get to his knees, hidden half behind a console. The new Ben. Looks like he'll have to get used to having this Ben around.

_I'm so sorry,_ he thinks.

And then he gathers every bit of flame left in him and throws it at the machine. There's an explosion, large enough to knock him flat on his back and leave his head ringing. He hears Diablo's outraged scream but when he manages to move his head it's to see that Diablo has disappeared.

Somehow he's rather disappointed that Diablo didn't get blown up as he lets his head fall, heavy, against the tiling.

::

"Johnny!" He manages to push himself up until he's seated instead of lying on the floor. Sue and Reed come rushing in; Reed typing away at a hand held computer and suddenly the lights and computers are blinking back on.

In the light the destruction just looks that much worse. Half of Reed's lab looks trashed and the machine stands as the cause of it all, singed and sparking.

"What happened?" She asks and helps him up.

"You." Ben shrugs off Reed's help and heads, unsteadily, over to Johnny. Johnny braces himself for Ben's anger. "You destroyed it."

What he isn't ready for is the broken look on the other mans face.

"Ben I had to,"

"You _destroyed it_!"

Johnny takes a step back at outburst and feels Sue's hand come to rest on his arm in support.

"Reed will find a way to fix it." Sue says and they all glance over to where Reed is inspecting the machine but his expression is grim. "_Right_ Reed?"

His brother in law glances up distracted. "Of course." He says and then stretches and his head disappears into the machine.

::

"Hey." Johnny hovers awkwardly in the doorway, unsure of his welcome.

Ben glances up from where he's sprawled on the bed. The blankets rest just above his waist and do nothing to hide the pristine white bandages that are wrapped around his ribs. Johnny took a few hard knocks from Diablo himself- his throat is sore and bruised and he's still feeling worn out but he feels all that much more worse when he sees the bruises peeking up over the bandages.

"Johnny." Ben says and Johnny forces his gaze up to Ben's eyes. "It's just a couple'a bruises."

"Right." Johnny shifts. "Um, listen I know I can't make it up to you and that you probably don't want to see me but I just wanted to say I'm sorry. For you know, breaking the machine."

Ben rolls his eyes and pushes himself up so he's sitting up on the bed, back propped against the wall.

Johnny stops himself from flinching at the look, but only just. He doesn't understand what's happened, doesn't know how to get across this gap that has suddenly appeared between them. Part of him is terrified to try. Terrified to put himself out there only to be shot down again.

"Johnny." Ben says. There's no disappointment or anger in his gaze though. Just a gentle fondness. "Come here."

He crosses the room quickly, pausing beside the bed until Ben reaches out, gripping his wrist loosely and tugging until he's sprawled on the bed next to the other man. The television is on and playing the highlights of the football game but the volume is down low.

Johnny tries to relax, tries to get comfortable but its not working. Ben wraps an arm around his shoulders and pulls him close and Johnny blinks, breathes and relaxes if only a little.

"Kid, I'm not some fragile flower." Ben says and Johnny can feel the vibrations under his cheek.

"I know." He says but it's a lie. Ben doesn't have superpowers anymore. He's seen what happens to the people without powers that get involved with heroes.

"Yeah, right." Ben snorts. "Listen," He says and Johnny tilts his head so he can see the other mans face. "I took care of myself fine before the accident, I think I can manage now."

Johnny's eyes are drawn to the bedside table and the little bottle of pills, prescribed by Reed, resting on it.

"Besides," Ben continues, softer. "For the first time in _years_ people don't look at me like I'm a _monster._"

"I never thought you were a monster." Johnny says. Ben starts to say something, probably to argue, but Johnny sits up and says more forcefully, "Never. I never thought that. I taunted and teased but…" Johnny watches as Ben goes from fond to something like agitated like a switch has been flicked. He sits back as Ben shifts on the bed, makes to get up and probably stalk away.

He closes his eyes and takes a steadying breath. Reed can fix the machine he tells himself.

"You should leave Storm." Ben growls.

Johnny slides off the bed.

"Okay," He says. Then stops by the door. "Your eyes never changed." Ben shoots him a confused glare. "From before the accident. And when you were the Thing- they never changed."

Ben opens his mouth, pauses and then closes it again. That's a first, Johnny thinks- Ben Grimm at a loss for words.

"I'll see you later." Johnny says and then forces himself to turn and walk out of the room.

::

"What are the chances Diablo's just going to leave now that the machine is broken?" Peter asks feet propped up on the coffee table. His mask is off and resting in his lap and his brown hair sticks up in odd angles that only serve to make him look younger.

"Probably as likely as you beating me at this game." Johnny flicks his eyes back to the television and manages to push his car further than Peters in the race.

"So…pretty likely then?" Johnny decides its best not to reply. "Since Tony and Reed are busy in the lab,"

"Yeah, shouldn't you be helping them with that?" Johnny interrupts and Peter shoots him a look at the irritation that managed to slip into his voice. "Sorry."

"I helped as much as I could- they'll holler if they need me again. In the meantime though," Peter cheers as his car passes the finish line first and the game restarts. "You going to tell me what's bothering you or do I have to guess?"

Johnny sets down his game controller and sits back.

"If you're not going to play you could,"

"It's Ben." He says and Peter's eyes get wide for a moment before he puts down his controller as well.

"Maybe you should talk to MJ about this." His friend says awkwardly, scratching the back of his head. "I kind of suck with the relationship advice."

"Dude," Johnny rolls his eyes and a faint smile passes over his face. "I _know_ that." The smile is gone just as quickly as it arrived though. "I just- you know what its like to be with someone without powers."

"Oh." Peter says. He shifts and draws his legs up onto the couch, crossing them, getting comfortable. "What do you want to know?"

Johnny shrugs and sighs.

"Just…how do you keep them safe?"

"Secret identities." Peter answers quickly and then freezes and winces. "Um, or you know, a really good safe house? Long distance relationship to Rome? Or…"

"Thanks." Johnny lets his head fall back against the back of the couch. So what Peter is saying is that there isn't anyway to keep them safe. Or at least safe and _close_.

"Man- I want to tell you that there's a way, but so long as your identity is out there, there's always going to be at least one guy with a grudge that figures out your weakness." And sometimes even when the world didn't know your identity; Johnny can tell by the distant look in Peter's eyes that he was thinking about Gwen.

"Ma- er…_Daredevil_ went through it too." Peter colours slightly at the near slip but Johnny pretends not to notice. "In the end, it all comes down to the fact that you think you can keep them safe but. You can't be there 24/7."

"That doesn't make me feel any better." Johnny runs a hand over his face and Peter shrugs guiltily.

"I know. But it's the truth."

"Yeah. Thanks for being honest with me." He sits forwards and reaches for the game controller but doesn't feel as into the game as he had earlier.

"Hey."

Johnny jumps and the controller slips from his hands. On the screen his car runs into a ditch. _Oh no_, he thinks as he looks up at Ben leaning against the doorframe. _How much did he hear?_

"Hey." Johnny says back, tries to keep his voice level and glances over at Peter who looks like he very much would like to be somewhere else. Ben couldn't have been there long; Peter would have heard him- right? "What's up?"

If Ben heard something he doesn't let on. He glances over at Peter and settles onto the couch between him and Johnny. Peter quirks an eyebrow but doesn't comment.

"Just seeing what you were up to." He shoots Peter another look and Johnny rolls his eyes at the posturing.

"Um, maybe I should go," Peter starts to say.

"Yeah, maybe you should Parker." Ben looms forwards and while he may not be made of rock he is still bigger than Peter. Johnny rolls his eyes and decides that letting Peter beat his boyfriend up isn't a good idea.

"Ben." He places a hand on Bens arm, catches his attention and nearly jerks back at the sudden dopey expression that replaces Ben's previous anger.

"_Johnny_." Ben says but he's interrupted by the sudden sound of the alarms. _Not again_, Johnny thinks somewhat desperately.

"Ben- stay here." He tells the man and then he and Peter take off down the hall towards the lab.

::

A large part of him wishes that the large hole in the wall is Reeds attempt at a larger window, but somehow he doubts that it's the case.

The lab is empty when they get there.

Aside from the new hole in the wall though, there isn't any new damage. In fact- it's pretty obvious that Reed and Tony had already been rebuilding the machine.

Johnny heads to the hole and leans out it, squinting his eyes against the light pouring in but he can't see anything. Reed and Tony could be anywhere.

"Johnny?" Sue stops at the entrance to the lab and pales as she catches sight of the hole. "Reed? Is he…?"

"It had to have been Diablo." Johnny says, clenches his fists and feels himself growing steadily _angrier_.

"Why'd he leave the machine?" Peter asks and for a moment Johnny had forgotten he was even there as his friend crouches down by the machine, looking it over.

"Maybe he thinks it's still broken?" Johnny shrugs, it's not like he's ever going to understand the way the lunatics mind works. "Who cares, we've got to find a way to get Reed and Tony back and take him _down_."

"I'll call the Avengers." Peter says.

"I know how to find Reed." Sue steps into the room, shock fading away to anger. "We all have transmitters in our uniforms."

"Seriously?"

"Had to." Sue nods and brushes off a console, typing rapidly. "After that fanboy kidnapped you we had to keep track of you somehow."

Johnny frowns but doesn't reply.

"Um guys?" Peter catches their attention, eyes wide and points out the hole. Johnny and Sue both look and it isn't hard to spot the giant made of stone in the middle of the city.

"He's not the only one." Johnny spots another giant, ice glinting in the sunlight down in the harbour.

"Peter," Sue grabs one of Reeds hand held computers and turns to him. "The Avengers need to take care of the giants. Johnny and I will find Diablo." She turns to Johnny. "When you and Ben were fighting Diablo, his monsters were weakened significantly. I think that protecting himself against your flame took up more energy than he's letting on."

"So we keep Diablo busy and the monsters get taken out?" Johnny clarifies. He claps his hands together at Sues nod. "Awesome."

"You need backup." They all turn at the sound of the new voice. Peter shifts awkwardly and then heads for the hole in the wall.

"I'll go get the Avengers filled in." He calls and takes off without a backwards glance.

"We'll be fine." Sue says. There's something deadly to her grin. "Diablo is the one that will need help."

Ben crosses his arms and frowns at them.

"Don't worry Ben," Johnny crosses over to the other man, rests a hand on his arm and feels the muscles, tense and stiff, under his touch. "We've got this one."

Ben sighs and hangs his head suddenly looking weary. "If the stupid machine wasn't broken I could,"

"It won't take Reed long to fix it when he gets back." Johnny cuts in and tugs until Ben uncrosses his arms. He links his hand with Bens. "It looks like he got most of it done, and when he gets back we'll just have to see."

Ben casts a long, unreadable look over at the machine in the corner. Then he sighs and turns his gaze back on Johnny.

And then Johnny is being tugged forwards, regardless of the fact that his sister is in the room and they _really_ need to get going and lips press against his.

And it's not harsh or fast- it's light and slow and means something that neither of them wants to look at too closely yet. It feels like he's only just started to return the kiss when they're pulling back.

Blue eyes stare down at him, determined.

"Don't do anything stupid, kid." Ben says gruffly. "I'll see you _soon_."

Johnny blinks, confused but nods nonetheless and pulls away. Sue smirks at him before stepping out of the hole, standing on one of her force fields. Johnny flames on and follows after her.

"Don't hold back." Sue tells him, brows furrowed and mouth quirked down. "That's my husband he took."

Johnny nods and follows as she leads the way.

::

It's surprisingly easy to track Reed (and Tony) to the warehouse across the city. It's even easier to get _into_ the warehouse.

Johnny glances over at Sue and can tell she's thinking the same thing he is. Trap.

But it's not like they can turn back. If they don't keep Diablo distracted his monsters are going to destroy the city. They don't have time for much more of a plan than the one they have.

The warehouse is dark when they enter it but there's a dim light coming from a room in the back. Sue leads the way quickly and quietly towards the door.

"It's too quiet." Johnny says and then winces because he can't believe he just said _that_.

Sue pushes the door to the room open and-

There's no one there.

The room is empty. Johnny pushes the door open all the way and curses.

"You sure this is the place?" He asks.

Sue pulls out the computer, checks it and frowns. "It is." She pauses and steps back out into the dark, main room. "Johnny- light this place up."

He flames on, burns bright and suddenly the light is intensified, bouncing off of ice mirrors and blinding them. He hears Sue cry out and his flame goes out as the light pierces his eyes. Johnny claps his hands over his eyes but the pain is still there, hammering around his skull and he drops unsteadily to his knees.

Someone starts laughing, loud and pleased and completely insane and then Johnny feels something hard grab him, wrap around him and pin him in place. He's trapped on his knees, unable to see and vulnerable. _Way to go_, he thinks darkly.

"Sue?" Johnny calls out. He struggles against the stone holding him, blinking hard to get his vision back.

"I'm okay." She calls back. "You?"

"Can't see." He says but even as he says it, the darkness is getting a little brighter.

"And you won't be able to for awhile." Diablo's voice comes from high above and Johnny twists, trying to pinpoint exactly where the villain is.

"Sue! Johnny!" Reed's voice calls out and Johnny relaxes minutely.

"Tony?" Johnny asks.

"Unconscious." So long as they're all together it's one less thing to worry about.

"You should give up now!" Johnny calls out. Everything is too bright and fuzzy but shapes are beginning to appear in his vision.

"Why would I give up," Johnny startles as the voice comes closer to him this time. "When I have you exactly where I want you."

Johnny squints his eyes and he can just make out a shape walking towards them, he blinks and looks away- pretends that he still can't see.

"Now, Richards- I'll give you a choice. Get me the cosmic energy or I will take it from one of your team-mates." Johnny blinks, surprised. Was that even possible?

"That's impossible." Sue says from somewhere to his left but even she sounds uncertain.

Johnny doesn't really want to hang around and find out if it is possible or if Diablo's just crazier than ever.

"Johnny now!" Sue calls out.

"Flame on!" He shouts. The fuzzy shapes around him are becoming more solid and defined. He can't see the outraged look on Diablo's face but he'll live.

Johnny closes his eyes and burns bright and hot. Behind his closed eyes he can see the light growing, bouncing around the room, reflected off the same ice mirrors that Diablo had used to blind them.

He burns hotter and hotter until he can feel the stone crumbling and trusts that Sue has a force field up. And then.

And then the stone falls away and he's free and he pulls his flame back in and cautiously opens his eyes. The shadows are still there but he can see more, can make out his brother in laws form across the room, Tony slumped on the floor next to him and Sue nearby.

But Diablo isn't there anymore.

"Did he run again?" Johnny asks, disbelieving. He climbs to his feet.

This time he's ready for it as something comes at him from behind. He flames on again and just avoids being crushed. The rock smashes the concrete floor and rises up again, chasing after Johnny. Johnny flies higher and higher but the rock is gaining on him.

"You really thought you could escape me? That you could defeat me with my own _tricks_?" Diablo calls, angry and Johnny spots him lurking in the shadows down below.

"Not really." He calls back and smirks. "I'm just a distraction."

Sue's force field closes around the alchemist as she steps forwards from where she's broken free of the stone, Reed at her side.

Now they just have to give the Avengers time to take out the monsters.

Diablo falls to his knees as the oxygen in the force field disappears and Johnny thinks _that was easy_.

But then the ground is shaking and with it the warehouse. The ground cracks and throws the heroes on the ground and Sue loses her force field. Johnny dives in to take over but something grabs him and pulls him back.

Harsh wind and air spins him around, holds him suspended even after his flame goes out. It tosses him feet over head, around and around and he can't breathe, can't escape.

The wind roars in his ears like a monster, deafening him.

_Flame on_, he thinks somewhat desperately.

The world is spinning and he can't make out his sister or Reed or Diablo.

Then something hits him hard, jarring him and knocking him free. There are metal arms wrapped around his waist and Johnny lets out a shaky breath.

"It's about time you woke up." Johnny says hoarsely as he's set down on the ground.

"Yeah, sorry about that." Iron Man shrugs. "Extremis has been acting weird. I had trouble connecting to the armour."

Johnny wonders how a computer program in his brain can get any weirder.

They fly back into the fight, the odds are good- it's four against one.

Or at least that's how it should be.

Stone covers Iron Man from head to foot. Sue throws up a force field just in time as a wall of water engulfs her and Reed.

This can't be happening, Diablo can't be winning.

Johnny throws fireball after fireball at the villain but it's like it's having no effect. But there are barrels all over the warehouse and he doesn't know what's in them but they certainly look flammable enough. Diablo has unknowingly protected the others from what Johnny is about to do.

He throws a ball of fire and watches as Diablo laughs as it misses him. But he wasn't Johnny's target.

The world explodes around them and everything burns white.

::

Johnny groans and decides that he should _never_ do that again.

Next time someone else can blow themselves up.

He shifts in the rubble, moving small bits of concrete and stone off of himself and awkwardly pushes himself until he's half seated. His right arm screams in protest as he tries to put weight on it and he hisses, drawing it close to his chest.

His already bruised ribs twinge in protest but he shrugs it off and concentrates on taking steady breaths.

The explosion wasn't too bad, he decides, half of the warehouse is still standing. Sort of. But he can't see the spot where Tony was trapped and the wall of water his sister and brother in law were trapped in is now behind a collapsed section of the roof.

He needs to find them.

Ears ringing and body aching he starts the slow process of climbing to his feet.

"You wont…defeat…me…"

Johnny freezes, barely standing. _No way_.

Diablo stumbles forwards through the smoke, a crooked smile on his face. With each step he manages to steady himself more and more.

"Flame on!" Johnny croaks, smoke catching in his throat.

His skin warms but there is no flame. Small fires burn around the warehouse, filling the air with thick smoke and making it hard to see.

"This is the end, Human Torch."

Johnny stumbles backwards and falls landing awkwardly on the broken concrete. His breath catches in his throat. This isn't it, this _can't_ be it.

"Flame on!" He tries again and he can feel it, feel his flame close to the surface but he can't- he's too _tired_. He's got nothing left.

Diablo stops at his feet and Johnny's eyes dart around, trying to find something, _anything_ he can use as a weapon. He lunges, arm screaming in protest and his hand manages to close over a piece of broken concrete.

"Hey." Johnny jerks as though an electric shock is coursing through him and turns wild eyes back on Diablo. And the person behind him. "I _know _I told you to _stay away_ from him."

Diablo turns and Johnny tries to push himself up, tries to do _something, anything_ with his makeshift weapon. But his arm gives out and exhaustion makes his body heavy and uncooperative.

And he must be hallucinating. Because there is no way that Ben is standing in the ruined warehouse in his Fantastic Four uniform. Completely human Ben who has _no chance_ of standing up against Diablo.

"Ben?" Johnny breathes. "You need to get out of here!"

"Not leaving ya kid." Ben says, voice firm.

Johnny flinches because this is all too familiar and he_ knows_ that Ben remembers the fight with the Hulk and how Johnny had refused to leave _him_. Ben is going to get himself _killed_ right in front of Johnny and Johnny is going to have to _watch_.

"No." He pleads and doesn't even care that Diablo is standing right there. "Ben, go!"

But Ben just smirks, like he _knows_ something that Johnny doesn't and says,

"Don't worry kid, I've got this one."

And here he _knows_ he's hallucinating because the air is shifting around Ben, like he's staring at the highway on a hot day and the road starts to shift. He's _seen_ this before.

Ben just smirks through it and what probably takes a few seconds seems like so much longer as Johnny watches the pink skin and red hair disappear and be replaced with _rock_.

"I picked up a new trick." Comes the deep, gravely voice. Johnny forgets how to breathe for a moment.

The _Thing_ is back.

"It's _clobbering _time."

A rocky fist connects with Diablo's face and the alchemist goes sailing through the air.

He doesn't get back up.

"I've got him!" Spiderman calls out and sets about webbing the alchemist.

Johnny blinks, dazed as the Avengers suddenly make their presence known.

"Told ya you should've brought backup." Ben murmurs. He hovers awkwardly a foot away, his old rocky self.

Johnny just stares at him for a moment until Ben is shifting from foot to foot and then a wide, uncontrollable smile breaks across Johnny's face.

_You're back_ almost escapes his mouth. But. But Ben never actually left. Familiar blue eyes watch him cautiously.

"Well?" Johnny says, holds out his good arm and looks back expectantly. "Help me up."

Rocky hands hold him gently, like he'll break and pull him to his feet. He sways, unsteady and takes the opportunity to lean heavily on the other man.

"So," Ben says. Luke digs out Sue and Reed, still in the force field and Cap and the others manage to dig Tony out quickly. Sue's eyes widen as she spots Ben but Reed looks completely unsurprised. "Got anything to say about, uh, the new look, Matchstick?"

Johnny blinks, thinks _welcome back_ or maybe _I missed this_ but instead he settles for,

"Good timing, Benjy." And tilts his head up, pressing his lips to Ben's, feeling the familiar smooth stone and the hint of warmth behind his lips.

::

Peter imitates a bat as he hangs from the ceiling, video game controller in hand as he manages to win another game. Johnny rolls his eyes and shifts his arm, irritated with the sling. Playing video games with one hand is close to impossible, he's discovered.

Sue and Reed are up in the lab with Ben, running tests, trying to find out what's going on with him.

Hopping in a half fixed machine filled with cosmic energy is probably one of the most stupid things Ben has ever done. But. But Johnny is too nervous and tentatively _happy_ to be furious right now.

Tony sprawls on the other couch, head slipping slowly as though he can't help it, until it comes to rest on Caps shoulder. Blue eyes flutter shut and his precarious hold on the ice pack slips. Cap catches the ice pack and places it back on his shoulder gently, casting a fond, warm look at the other man.

Johnny blames his inability to tear his eyes from the scene on whatever pain meds Reed injected him with when they got back.

Luke is the only other Avenger hanging around; the others had headed home for some sleep. Johnny suspects that Luke is only hanging around for the video console they have.

"Hey." Johnny jerks, startled.

Ben heads straight to his side and takes the seat next to him on the couch.

"Hey." Johnny says back, blinks and leans into the warmth next to him, realizing a second later that it's _skin_ and not rock. "You're you again!" He says and considers sitting up and waving his good arm but. He's way to comfortable. "I mean, not you-you but you. You know?"

Ben frowns and quirks an eyebrow. "Your pupils are _huge_."

Johnny grins and shrugs.

"So what's the verdict?" Peter asks, pausing the game.

"I'm back to normal." Ben says, grinning.

_Oh,_ Johnny thinks. _Normal, human Ben_.

"So you can't…?" Luke trails off, hand waving as though they're supposed to understand. Ben apparently does.

"Never said that." Johnny makes a noise of complaint when he's gently shifted away from Ben, to lean on the cushions. But he blinks and suddenly the couch is sinking and he's tilting sideways back into Ben- who is suddenly made of _stone_.

"How?" Cap asks, stunned look on his face.

"A mistake." Ben says with a wide grin. "Between Johnny trying to blow up the machine and the egg heads trying to fix it- this just kinda happened."

"So you willingly went into a broken machine?" Peter asks sounding disbelieving and a little disapproving.

"Yeah." Ben says and he looks down at Johnny. Johnny isn't out of it enough to miss the look directed at him. It makes him feel warm all over and he can't tear his eyes from it.

"We have guest rooms if anyone needs them." Sue says from the door and Johnny's gaze slides from Ben's reluctantly.

Cap glances down at the man asleep on his arm. "I think we'll need one."

"Luke? Peter?"

"Nah," Luke stands, stretching. "I'd better get going or Jess is gonna make me sleep on the couch."

"Come on." Johnny murmurs, standing and tugging on Ben's hand. Peter squeaks as he realizes he forgot to call MJ but it's all background noise as they slip out of the room and down the hall.

Johnny leads them right to Bens room and to the bed. Ben hesitates for a second and then the rock is shifting and disappearing and all that's left is pink skin and red hair.

"This is alright, right?" He asks, gesturing at himself.

"Yeah." Johnny smiles, soft, because this way he gets _all_ of Ben. He doesn't have to pick between one and the other.

"Even when I'm rocky,"

"Ben." Johnny interrupts, grasps his hand and looks him in the eye. "I lo- _care_ about you, no matter what you look like."

Johnny winces at the slip, terrified that it will scare the other man away but Ben doesn't mention it. Instead he helps Johnny strip to his boxers and remove the sling and then they climb into the bed together.

"Hey kid," Ben says when he has Johnny wrapped up safe and warm in his arms. Johnny mumbles something that he hopes sounds somewhat intelligent because he's warm and comfortable and so close to drifting off. "I care about you too. A lot." A soft kiss is brushes against his temple.

And Johnny smiles at the gruff tone and soft confession and presses closer to the other man, ready to sleep.

::

The sun is high in the sky, a light breeze in the air and the smells of the market surround them. It's a busy, bustling place but for once no one is sparing them a second glance.

Johnny grins and tips the brim of his hat to their waitress offering a bright smile. Ben kicks him lightly under the table. The waitress heads off with a knowing look on her face and an amused quirk to her lips.

"What?" Johnny defends, grinning. "I'm just making a point. She had no idea who we are."

Ben shifts a little in his seat, as though any second now someone is going to recognize him and their date will be interrupted. He's been doing it for the past half hour as Johnny drove them to the market.

But sitting in the tiny outdoor café, no one seems to know or care who they are.

Johnny slides his foot across the small space under the table and rubs it lightly against Bens.

The sun is warm against his skin, he's sitting across from his boyfriend and they don't have to be back until dinner. The week is definitely looking up.

"So that means I can do this then?" Ben grins, mischievous and leans across the table. Johnny meets him half way and the kiss is slow and gentle.

Oh yeah, definitely looking up.

The ground shakes and people let out startled yells.

His comm. Link chirps in his ear.

"Ben, Johnny- Doombots are swarming down town."

Johnny groans in disappointment and sits back. Ben's already reaching for his own comm. Link to reply.

"We're nearby. We'll meet ya there." He says with a sigh. Johnny turns his head and he can just make out the hulking robots gleaming in the light.

"I hear this place is open late." Johnny says at they stand. He throws some money down on the table and waves to their waitress.

"Sue an' Reed won't mind too much if we miss dinner." Ben grins and cracks his knuckles. "Now- I've been waiting to do some clobbering."

"Doom won't know what hit him." Johnny grins. Ben's skin shifts and suddenly the Thing is standing next to him, smirking.

"Flame on!" Johnny shouts- it draws the crowds attention- and they're off, heading into the fight together.


End file.
